Morocco Highlights

Days

14

Price from

£616GBP

Rock around Morocco through Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech

Arrive in Casablanca then head on to Meknes and Fes. Next up is Midelt, Merzouga and Erg Chebbi for walks, ruins and desert camps. Then Todra Gorge, Dades Valley and Ait Benhaddou (ie ALL THE COOL STUFF). Finish with a visit to High Atlas then a few days in rad Marrakech.

Morocco Highlights

Rock around Morocco through Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech

Arrive in Casablanca then head on to Meknes and Fes. Next up is Midelt, Merzouga and Erg Chebbi for walks, ruins and desert camps. Then Todra Gorge, Dades Valley and Ait Benhaddou (ie ALL THE COOL STUFF). Finish with a visit to High Atlas then a few days in rad Marrakech.

Why we love this trip

Pre-2005, you wouldn't have been able to spend a night in holy Moulay Idriss if you weren't a Muslim. These days you can stay with an awesome local family and eat their delicious home-cooked fare no matter your beliefs

It's easy to get lost in a labyrinth (think less David Bowie film, more medieval maze), especially when there are enticing distractions at every turn. Never fear, your local guide knows the city of Fes like a lifelong friend

How about tasting some Berber Whisky? Even better, how about learning how to prepare this traditional drink? Learn from the experts on one of the exclusive demonstrations

Don't get in a hoof when you're offered a camel burger in Meknes. Like all good food in the medina, this exotic lunch is cooked before your eyes at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant

Sleep under the stars in the Sahara, watch the sun rise over the dunes, ride a camel through the desert and explore the spectacular Todra Gorge. Is this all a dream?

Souq and ye shall find. The Marrakech marketplace is even more chaotic than you'd imagine. Take a deep breath before you start haggling your socks off with the locals

Who knows where the best street food is in Marrakech? Those who knows the streets of Marrakech best. Venture out for some street food tasting in the maze of Marrakech streets with the local expert

Kick back in the coastal town of Essaouira, find yourself slipping into the easy-going rhythm of this Moroccan town with a European seaside twist

Is this trip right for you?

As this is a combination of two itineraries, your group leader and the composition of your group may change in Marrakech, before heading out to Essaouira.

he train journeys on this trip can get pretty busy at peak periods, so we’d strongly recommend you pack your rucksack lightly so you can get on and off the trains quickly.

There are some steep steps up to the guesthouse in Moulay Idriss, which requires a moderate level of fitness. Mules can be provided if you need some assistance in carrying your luggage from the taxi to the accommodation.

There are a few long minibus journeys on this trip, some in excess of three hours - especially from Fes to Midelt and Midelt to Merzouga. While conditions can feel a bit cramped in the van, the scenery is stunning and regular stops will be made to break up your journey.

While temperatures in the desert can be pleasant during the day, when the sun goes down it can get very cold. Please make sure you bring some warm clothing and base layers.

For some, the camel ride is one of the highlights of the trip. If you don't feel comfortable with this activity, it's possible to simply walk alongside the rest of the group. The ride to the desert camp takes about an hour and is idyllic in the late afternoon light.

At the desert camp, there are four berber tents and one large communal tent. Mattresses, sheets and blankets are provided, but it's also recommended that you bring your own sleeping sheet. You may even want to bring a sleeping bag if you're travelling during the colder months.

In a full-day tour around the Medina of Fes (Day 4), you'll be on your feet for a good five to six hours. Keep in mind that this is one of the highlights of Morocco and well worth the exertion!

The camel trek through the Sahara (Day 6) is an amazing way to experience the desert, but it may be painful on your backside. If you'd prefer, it's possible to walk alongside the caravan on the sand for about an hour. Remember that you'll need to make the (quite easy) walk back in the other direction the next day.

The Todra Gorge visit (Day 7) takes you to a remote area of Morocco. It is an amazing place to discover on foot, but to do so you'll need a moderate level of fitness and suitable footwear and clothing. If trekking isn’t your thing, have no fear, as there are plenty of other activities to do in the valley.

In 2016, Ramadan will take place from 7 June to 6 July. It may cause some disturbance to your travel schedule. Some regular services may not be available or open during the daytime, such as restaurants or coffee bars. Please consider your travel arrangements carefully.

Although you shouldn’t expect any aggressive selling techniques in Morocco, please be aware that you may be approached regularly by shop owners and street vendors.

We've sourced our accommodation carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Geckos style of travel, but please note that service and accommodation in Morocco may be different to western standards.

Gallery

Itinerary

Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Morocco. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at around 6 pm on Day 1. There are no activities planned until this important meeting. Check the hotel reception for the exact time and place of the meeting. If you can't arrange a flight in time, you might want to arrive a day early – we can book additional accommodation for you, depending on availability. If you're going to be late, please contact the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so make sure you have these ready to give your trip leader. If you do arrive early in Casablanca, get out and explore the city. A good place to start is the Old Medina. Try some hot, syrupy mint tea along the way.

Notes: Some travellers in Casablanca are being approached by locals offering excursions before their Geckos trip commences. This has been particularly common in and around the hotels used by Geckos. These guides are in no way connected to Geckos and we cannot guarantee the safety or quality standards of their tours. We strongly advise customers not to join any tour offered by unauthorised guides. Geckos assesses the safety of all optional excursions offered by our local leaders. If you would like more information on the excursions available, please contact us before you travel, or see the Geckos-branded notice in the reception of your hotel.

Included Activities

Mint tea making demo

Optional Activities

Casablanca - Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque - MAD120

Meals Included

After breakfast it's time for a guided tour of the Hassan II Mosque. More than 6,000 craftsmen joined forces to build this beauty in 1993. It's one of the few mosques in Morocco that foreigners are allowed to enter. You'll be joining other people for this tour, but you can upgrade to your own guide if you like – just talk to your leader. Later, head to the station and take a local train to Meknes (approximately 2.5 hours). When you arrive, you'll jump into a taxi and pop over to the whitewashed village of Moulay Idriss, one of Morocco's most important pilgrimage sites. You'll stay with a local family here this evening. Staying overnight here has only been allowed for foreigners since 2005. Lucky you!

Notes: Your guided tour of Meknes will be either today or tomorrow.

Meals Included

Take a drive through the beautiful rolling hills to Volubilis for a guided tour of these epic Roman ruins. After Volubilis, head back to Meknes where you'll meet your local guide for a tour. Prepare for an unusual lunchtime – you'll be able to get a camel burger. Now that's a burger bar with a difference! Fear not if you’re a vegetarian, there will be an option for you too. Travel by train from Meknes to Fes (approximately 40 minutes). It's an amazing living museum, like stepping into medieval times. Fes is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco; vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming – a visual and pungent feast for the senses – with a huge, well-preserved medieval old city that’s the mother of all medinas. With the free afternoon, take a walk around, perhaps find a quiet place and listen to the evening ‘call for prayer’. It’s a cool thing to do.

Notes: The tour of Meknes, if it hasn’t happened yesterday, will take place today morning.

Included Activities

Guided walking tour - Meknes

Guided tour of Volubilis

Guided walking tour Fes

Medersa - Fes

Meals Included

Fes. Getting lost here is half the fun, but you'll have an orientation walk, so you won't actually get lost, or at least you shouldn’t, however, noting down the name and address of your hotel isn’t a bad idea. Just in case. Browse market stalls, meet craftsmen and see beautiful mosques. Look out for the Medersa Bou Inania, one of the city's coolest buildings which has recently been restored and is now open to visitors. You'll also visit the famous tannery, which is also famously stinky, but famously well worth it. Stop for that famous view, overlooking the dye pits. You'll also visit a ceramic factory where you can see potters working in the traditional way. Then enjoy some free time and maybe check out the exquisite carvings and magnificent tile work at the Medersa el Attarine (near the spice and perfume market). Fes is a shopping heaven for those who want to pick up a souvenir or two. Just bury in mind, today is going to be long. Very long and quite tiring, but well worth the tiredness at the end.

Meals Included

Travelling south across a bunch of different terrain, you will reach Ifrane, a mountain resort established by the French in 1929. After a short stop for coffee and a leg-stretch, continue further south. Then, at Midelt, the landscape opens up, giving way to awesome views to the west. This smallish market town, surrounded by farmland and orchards, is a great spot to break up the journey to the Sahara. It was originally built as a base for mining in the area. You'll see Berber people and nomadic shepherds tending to their flocks. You'll stay the night in Midelt. But first it's time for a nice walk (approximately 1.5–2 hours). The walk itself is easy, but the terrain is rocky in some places, so wear your best walking shoes. Bring your camera too, or your smartphone or whatever, because the scenes along the way might just make your Instagram account explode.

Meals Included

On your way to the desert, stop at the spectacular narrow defile known as the Gorges du Ziz. Then head to the large town of Er Rachidia. Pass the 500-year old ruins of the Ksar of Meski then descend into the Ziz Valley, a particularly fertile region that produces figs, olives, dates and tamarisk – a fruit grown for its tannin and used in the curing of leather skins. Arrive in Merzouga, drop your main bags off at a simple Auberge (that's French for 'inn'), then take your day pack filled with overnight essentials. Time to experience a desert full of awesome. The mode of transport: camel, of course. Brace yourself for one heck of a sunset. This ride takes about an hour, going through the sea of sand to your private desert camp for an overnight stay. In the camp, you'll have a thin mattress, blankets and sheets. Make sure you bring a sleeping sheet if it's winter (you'd be surprised how cold it can get). Sleep under the stars and have a really romantic 'I am so far from home' kinda moment.

Meals Included

Hope you remembered to set your alarm this morning, because you'll be getting up well before the crack of dawn. Climb to a nearby sand dune to catch the sunrise. Watch the Sahara come alive! You'll also enjoy another fun camel ride through the sand dunes while the sun is rising higher and higher. Head back to the Auberge, collect the rest of your gear and then travel west to Todra. Then you'll come across a bright tablecloth of green that might seem so out of place you'll think you are dreaming. This valley is pretty impressive, with all its palm trees and mud-brick villages. Arrive at your hotel at the top of the valley, then take a hike into the gorge where sheer cliffs rise more than 1,000 feet above you.

Meals Included

From Todra Gorge, travel along the ‘Road of 1,000 Kasbahs’ and enjoy views of the Dades Gorge. You'll also travel past the town of Skoura, home to the beautiful little houses rising like a mirage beyond a dry riverbed. Continue to the medieval mud-brick town of Ait Benhaddou, which is at its best in the late afternoon sun. If you wonder why Ait Benhaddou looks familiar to you, it is because you have seen it before! Perhaps not live, but certainly on the silver screen. Gladiator, Game of Thrones and loads of other movies and shows were filmed in this kasbah. Explore the many old streets and climb up to the fortress for a superb view over the old town. You can also – for a small fee – enter one of the most interesting of the old houses, climbing up to the turrets for a view over the river. You'll spend the night just outside the walls.

Meals Included

Continue west, passing a few Berber villages. Take in those epic views of the countryside. Wind your way up towards Tizi ‘n Tichka. This is a whopping 2,260 metres above sea level, the highest pass on the road to Marrakech. It often gets covered with snow during the winter months. Leaving the Atlas behind, you'll descend into the plains that surround Marrakech and arrive late afternoon. Marrakech is a feast for the senses. Take an orientation walk around the old medina and the city's seemingly endless mosaic of souqs. Each is devoted to a separate trade: pottery, woodwork, copper, leather, carpets and spices. Sample some of the best street food in the world on the way. Then enjoy some free time. This is a good chance to get lost in the fun of Jemaa el Fna, where there are so many fire-eaters, fortune-tellers, actors, musicians and hawkers vying for your attention.

Included Activities

Guided walking tour of Marrakech

Palais Bahia

Saadien Tombs

Street food tasting

Optional Activities

Palmery cycling tour - MAD350

Heart of the Atlas Mountains cycling day tour - MAD900

Quad Biking the Rock Desert & Palmgrove - MAD660

A Taste Of Marrakech - MAD509

Quad biking Barrage Lalla Takerkoust - MAD1650

Magical Marrakech City Cycling Tour - MAD350

Hot Air Ballooning - MAD1990

Hammam & Massage in a luxury spa - MAD750

Tajine cooking class - MAD546

Asni & Ourigane with lunch - MAD1806

Cascades d'Ouzoud day tour - MAD2207

Oukaimeden day tour - MAD1882

Ourika Valley day tour - MAD1817

Imlil & Aroumd day tour - MAD1817

Essaouira Food & Culture day trip - MAD840

Meals Included

Free day in Marrakech so where to start? Cycling trip, maybe a day trip out for some walking? No? Luxury Hammam and Spa, cooking class, quad-biking? Options are endless. Or, if you want to keep it simple, make a beeline to the food stalls for some tagine or some other Moroccan treat (nothing says 'I can't give you any money' like a face full of fava-bean dip). You might also like to visit the 16th-century ruins of the El Badi Palace, the famous Majorelle Garden or the adjacent Museum of Islamic Art. In the evening you will no doubt be drawn back to Jemaa el Fna for a night out with your new pals. Remember, some of them may not continue with you on to the Essaouira part of this trip, so take a chance and say farewell in style.

Meals Included

Travel west (approximately 2–3 hours) to the coastal town of Essaouira (avoid embarrassment: pronounce it 'Essa-weera'), city where the medina brushes up against the Atlantic Ocean. Sandstone walkways contrast with whitewashed houses, bright blue sky and the sand of the surrounding beaches and dunes. This artists' town was once home to sizeable British and Jewish populations, and its charm has seduced people like Orson Welles and Jimi Hendrix, who (according to local legend) spent much of his time here in the 1960s. It is one of North Africa's most attractive places, and you will soon find yourself slipping into the easy-going rhythm of this Moroccan town with a European seaside twist.This part of the trip is a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure, designed to give you freedom and flexibility. You’ll have plenty of free time to do what you like, but you’ll also be provided with recommendations.

Meals Included

Essaouira is a very photogenic old port town. Embrace the chilled-out pace. Grab a traditional Moroccan breakfast, and maybe wander to the harbour and its adjacent fish markets (you’ll have to get up early if you want to see the daily catch being auctioned off). You might like to check out the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah Museum for a look at its collection of artefacts, woodwork, carpets and stringed instruments. In the medina there are loads of shops to browse. If you want to take a refreshing dip, the Plage de Safi is a good spot if it’s not too windy. If you feel romantic, why not go on an optional horse riding along the sandy beaches of Atlantic Ocean.

Optional Activities

Horse riding - MAD250

Seafood Market Lunch - Essaouira - MAD80

Meals Included

Use the morning to see the last of Essaouira, then catch a bus back to Marrakech in the afternoon (approximately 3 hours). Check into your hotel and head out into the centre of Marrakech with the group for one final night together.

Meals Included

Your Moroccan adventure ends after breakfast on Day 14. Checkout time is usually around 12 pm, but you’re free to leave any time before then. Additional accommodation can be pre-booked if you wish to spend more time exploring Marrakech (subject to availability). If you're interested, speak to your leader before Day 10.

Optional Activities

Cascades d'Ouzoud day tour - MAD2207

Hot Air Ballooning - MAD1990

Hammam & Massage in a luxury spa - MAD750

Imlil & Aroumd day tour - MAD1817

Ourika Valley day tour - MAD1817

Oukaimeden day tour - MAD1882

Asni & Ourigane with lunch - MAD1806

Heart of the Atlas Mountains cycling day tour - MAD900

A Taste Of Marrakech - MAD509

Tajine cooking class - MAD546

Quad Biking the Rock Desert & Palmgrove - MAD660

Palmery cycling tour - MAD350

Magical Marrakech City Cycling Tour - MAD350

Quad biking Barrage Lalla Takerkoust - MAD1650

Meals Included

Breakfast

Included Activities

Meals

13 breakfasts,
3 dinners

Transport

Camel,
Local bus,
Minibus,
On foot,
Taxi,
Train

Accommodation

Basic hotel (11 nights),
Desert camp (1 night),
Guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities

Mint tea making demo

Guided walking tour - Meknes

Guided tour of Volubilis

Guided walking tour Fes

Medersa - Fes

Guided walking tour of Marrakech

Palais Bahia

Saadien Tombs

Street food tasting

Meals

13 breakfasts,
3 dinners

Transport

Camel,
Local bus,
Minibus,
On foot,
Taxi,
Train

Accommodation

Basic hotel (11 nights),
Desert camp (1 night),
Guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities

Mint tea making demo

Guided walking tour - Meknes

Guided tour of Volubilis

Guided walking tour Fes

Medersa - Fes

Guided walking tour of Marrakech

Palais Bahia

Saadien Tombs

Street food tasting

Days

14

Price from

£616GBP

Rock around Morocco through Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech

Arrive in Casablanca then head on to Meknes and Fes. Next up is Midelt, Merzouga and Erg Chebbi for walks, ruins and desert camps. Then Todra Gorge, Dades Valley and Ait Benhaddou (ie ALL THE COOL STUFF). Finish with a visit to High Atlas then a few days in rad Marrakech.

Dates & availability

Next trip departures

Jump to a departure month

Important notes

How to endear yourself to the locals: don’t pose for photos where the holiest of holy people pray. If you want to take a photo of people, always ask - they may say no, so respect that. Even if it’s hot, cover your shoulders, knees and hair. Don’t shake someone’s hand or eat with your left hand - this is the one you use to wipe your butt.

Single Supplement is available on this trip with the exception of day 2 Moulay Idriss and day day 6 Merzouga (Desert camp). Ask your travel consultant for more details.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.